


Wildcard Shuffle

by Monochromo



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Multi, literally most of the chars in 3-5 show up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-23 21:25:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11998260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monochromo/pseuds/Monochromo
Summary: In a timeline where blue, yellow, and red combine...Where Akira does not accept Morgana's proposal to take down Kamoshida. Where Akechi takes the mantle as the Phantom Thieves' wildcard. Where Yu Narukami becomes a gym teacher. And Elizabeth is close to opening the lock on the door.Yaldabaoth never saw it coming.





	1. Prologue: Her Request

_**March 30, 2017** _  
_**Cloudy** _  
_**Evening** _  
_**???** _

 

He found himself sitting in a small chair, facing a familiar yellow-eyed woman with a tea table separating the two.

It was amazing how five years had done nothing to her appearance. She looked the same way she did when they had first met, five years ago inside the blue limousine.

Funny how five years seemed like an awfully long time, yet the years passed by quickly. He could hardly believe that he had finished his schooling and was now just another normal graduate searching for a job.

 _Still_ , he thought to himself with a small smile, _parts of him were all but normal_.

“It’s been a while since you’ve called me,” he said to break the silence, taking the pristine white tea cup sitting on the table that separated them and bringing it close to his lips. It was astonishingly blinding against the bright blue walls that seemed to give off a faint glow.  The tea was chamomile: an unexpected flavor. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“It’s certainly been some time since we have last seen one another,” his companion agreed. A warm look was hidden behind her icy irises, but to his trained eye, he could distinctly identify her affectionate stare. “I’m afraid, however, that I do not have the luxury to indulge in my selfish desires for trivial chatter. I have called you here for a most urgent reason.”

He set the cup down, folding his hands together before meeting her gaze. A small smile appeared on her pale face. Though her resident was... _unique_ , he knew exactly when to get serious.

It was only natural that, with her back against a wall, she turned to him for help.

“I have finally located my sister, and her actions endanger her existence,” she slowly began. When his mouth opened, she quickly silenced him with a firm glare. “However, what consequences she brings about to herself means little to me. I come to you to speak about my master.”

“Igor?” the man murmured softly. He folded his arms together, a perturbed expression on his face. “Now that you mention it, moments where you and I are alone don’t happen a lot.”

“…Yes. Since completing the contract, I left the Room to search for Elizabeth. A new attendant, Lavenza, was to be my replacement and take over my duties,” she said solemnly. He nodded silently, remembering her resolution to find meaning beyond her role as Igor’s attendant to better understand her sibling's choice. “Yet, her presence has disappeared. It exists somewhere in the realm, but it feels faint and…fractured. To make matters even more troubling, I haven’t the faintest idea as to where my master is.”

He frowned. Her abilities to track people across planes of space were second-to-none. “Do you think perhaps…?”

“No, this could not have been done by anything related to mankind. Shadows are, after all, beings that are merely one facet of your kind,” she briskly answered. Her eyebrows furrowed together. “I fear that a god has interfered.”

“A god, hmm?” he muttered to himself. How complicated indeed.

“Normally, if circumstances were different, I would personally have taken care of this problem immediately. But as it is, I am powerless against a deity who stands above me. Simply put, there is nothing that I can do in this situation,” she explained, with a hint of frustration that he had never heard in her voice before. “But you, child of man, are different. You have the means to defy even a god, and you have proven to be successful once already.”

“Margaret,” the man called out, interrupting her story. She coughed, embarrassed of her panicked speech that was very unlike her, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. “If you need my help, just simply ask. I can’t say no to a dear friend of mine, especially when I owe you.”

“Yes, of course,” Margaret breathed out. This kindness and quiet strength of his were, after all, traits that had made her more affectionate to him than towards her own siblings. “Please, I request your assistance in the search of my master…and my sister.”

He tilted his head. “I thought it was just Igor?”

“I fear that the two are not mutually exclusive,” Margaret frowned. Further researching the events that transpired seven years ago, she feared that someone wanted to tamper with humanity’s desires once more. “I must warn you that this journey will be dangerous, even more so than your stand off against Izanami. And, an even greater mystery will be imposed upon you. Knowing this, will you still—”

“Leave it to me,” the man confidently answered. The room began to distort, bright blue hues fading to white. This was a sign that he was waking up soon.

Margaret closed her eyes, a relieved smile on her face.

“Safe travels, my dear Yu. I’m counting on you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Series to be updated every Monday. 
> 
> (hopefully??)
> 
> To be honest, because it's been blatantly stated that 3, 4, and 5 all exist within the same universe (and because I have not played Persona 1 or 2 aHH), there were some prompts flying around with characters meeting and whatnot. It's not the most original idea, especially since this was inspired by a picture of Akechi taking Akira's place within the PT, but hopefully there's enough original scenes and interactions that separate it from P5. (also low-key hope I didn't butcher the characters too much)
> 
> Relationship tags to be added when they happen. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	2. Chapter 1: A Fool's Start

_**April 8, 2017** _   
_**Cloudy** _   
_**Evening** _   
_**Kasumigaseki** _

 

It was busy in the police station, with loud shouting over phone calls, frenzied steps to and from rooms, and the heavy stench of coffee and cigarettes lingering in the air. The city atmosphere made her severely miss the smaller, quieter (and not to mention cleaner) town of Inaba.

Still, this was her first major case back on active duty, and it was a favor for her dear senpai. It had been over a year since the Investigation Team had last seen one another. Imagine her surprise when, seemingly out of nowhere, she received a call from him. She wondered how exactly he managed to involve himself in this mess.

“Detective Naoto Shirogane,” a firm female voice called from behind. The small, blue-haired woman peeked up from her hat to see who approached her. It was another woman with silver hair and sharp, red eyes, wearing a professional black suit. Naoto commended her taste. “It’s…a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Naoto greeted back. They gave each other a firm handshake, almost as if sizing one another within that brief moment of physical contact. From it, Naoto could ascertain her unwanted participation in the series of unfortunate subway incidents. “I hope we can work well together, Prosecutor Sae Niijima.”

“Yes,” Sae finally answered after some delay, releasing the breath she didn’t know she was holding in. Though younger, Naoto held a certain confident air about her, as if demanding respect from all others. It unnerved her. “I apologize in advance, but you’re not quite what I pictured from all the rumors about a detective prince.”

Naoto felt a small smirk forming on her lips. Compared to the past, her current self was unfazed by those words. “Yes, I believe that rumors often do me injustice. I can assure you, however, that my achievements can be backed up by my skills.”

“Of course. Allow me to guide you towards the meeting room” Sae offered. It was a brief walk, yet the air between the two was suffocating. To think that the Ace Detective she feared hopping onto her case was a younger woman. “You’re quite different from another detective prince I’m acquainted with.”

Naoto raised an eyebrow up. That was new. “Then, I must meet this second detective prince myself.”

“Indeed,” Sae replied, wearing a smile in return. Oddly enough, despite the awkwardness between the two, she felt a sense of companionship that was lacking in her life. “The SIU director is looking forward to meeting with the lead detective who prosecuted Tohru Adachi. I find that parts of these strings of transportation incidents have some correlation with the Inaba murders.”

“Is that so?” Naoto murmured. That couldn’t possibly be true; the TV world had vanished the fog was lifted. Still, Sae was right in that the fairly unexplainable circumstances of these so-called mental breakdowns were scarily similar to the situation she was involved in five years ago. “I’m surprised that you know of my involvement when most would have linked that case to Detective Dojima instead of myself.”

Sae gave her a bitter smile. “Ah, well it’s rare for women to succeed in our profession, so I tend to keep tabs on their success in the field.” Pulling herself together, she regained her straight face. “I apologize if my comments have made you uncomfortable.”

“Not at all. I, too, faced discrimination because of my age and gender,” Naoto dismissed. She tipped her hat to over her eyes. “Though, part of it may have all been a distorted self-pity party.”

“Huh?” Sae mumbled, taken aback by the sudden confession. Before she could ask more questions about the seasoned detective, she begrudgingly realized that they were closing in to the office. “We’re here.”

The two women entered the room. Naoto took note of the elderly gentleman sitting on a high black chair, arms folded together atop a mahogany desk. The large screen TV across from him was playing the news over the subway incident that occurred earlier the day. What a lavish office in comparison to the dull, gray rooms of Inaba’s police station.

“Good evening, detective Naoto Shirogane,” the SIU director greeted. Naoto nodded her head in acknowledgement. “Your insistence to be transferred over to this case from such a small town came as a surprise for all of us here in the Tokyo department.”

“Yes, an old friend of mine requested for me to oversee the events in the city immediately. As it is, I’m looking forward to giving my full cooperation towards this case.”

“…I see,” the SIU director said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Naoto let his glare bounce off her, unfazed. “Well, the case is to be handled by Ms. Niijima. She’s quite new to on the force, but her talent in her role is apparent.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sae mumbled quietly. A sense of dread was forming in her stomach due to stress or anxiety, maybe even both.

The news continued to blare in the background. Naoto picked up that something was amiss with the Head of Transportation. She narrowed her eyes, trying to link this new phenomenon of mental shutdowns and the government in her brain. Alas, she was still missing a few key pieces of the broader pictures.

“They’re all connected. That’s what you’re thinking, right?” the SIU director suggested. Sae straightened her back, turning her attention away from the TV screen to the smiling man in front of her. “Heh, how about a drink? It’s been awhile since we’ve last done so.”

“I’m afraid I’m busy tonight, sir,” Sae declined. Naoto caught the flash of disappointment that appeared in the director’s eyes. She met them and bowed her head. “I’ll be going now.”

“I’ll be leaving as well. It was lovely meeting both of you, but I’ll have to look over some of the files to catch up on the recent events,” Naoto said, excusing herself from the meeting.

Sae wordlessly followed the blue-haired woman, her heels echoing through the empty building as they descended the flight of stairs. She caught sight of a brunette boy wearing a school uniform, texting away on his phone in one hand and holding a briefcase in another. He looked up when he heard the clacking come closer.

“Is something the matter, Sae-san?” the young boy politely inquired. He looked over at Naoto curiously. “And who might this lovely lady be?”

“Quit the act, Goro. I need your opinion about something,” Sae barked. ‘Goro’ remained composed despite the older woman’s obvious annoyance. Naoto simply bowed her head before continuing towards her destination. She briefly heard something about sushi as she passed through the door leading towards the numerous files about her case.

“Minister of Transportation, huh?” Naoto mumbled to herself. She absentmindedly flipped through the papers, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Tomorrow, she’d have more time to read them in-depth. “A member of the National Diet of Japan.”

Naoto pursed her lips together. If there was one thing she appreciated about Inaba, it was its surprisingly honest government offices. Perhaps it was because of its quaintness, but there weren’t many officials who abused their powers to hide dirty pasts or rig elections. The city, on the other hand, worked on a completely different gray morale compass. She could hardly trust anyone here, and perhaps Niijima felt the same.

A familiar named popped out: Kirijo. They were credited to some aspects of financing before being erased from the year 2008 on, the year that Mitsuru allegedly took over the company fully.

The door opened, startling Naoto. She quickly shut the cabinet drawers, turning to face the night patrol who eyed her suspiciously. “Who are you?”

“Detective Naoto Shirogane,” she introduced. Though at times burdened by her family background, she was thankful once more for her grandfather’s connections that allowed her to slip into the case with little resistance. “I was merely looking for the files about the traffic incidents.”

“Oh, those,” the patrol sighed. He walked over and kindly pointed towards the cabinet that she was just at. “This here is what you’re looking for. But, uh, I’ll be closing things down soon, so you might wanna hurry up.”

Realizing that her time was limited before drawing suspicion to herself, she simply shook her head. “No, it’s quite all right. I apologize if I delayed your surveillance. I’ll be making my leave now.”

“Oh, uh, yeah…sure.”

Naoto made her way to the exit, fumbling with her phone that she had grabbed from her pocket. It had been nearly five years since she last met with Mitsuru Kirijo, but given the circumstances, perhaps the company head could do some digging for her sake.

“Shadows in Shibuya, huh?” Naoto murmured to herself. The weather was cooling down, cold enough for her to put on her black jacket and stuff her gloved hands into its pockets. Her breath came out in small puffs that dissipated almost immediately. “Just what kind of case did you put me on, Senpai?”

* * *

  _ **April 9, 2017**_  
 _ **Cloudy**_  
 _ **Afternoon**_  
 _ **Shibuya**_

 

Akira Kurusu awoke with a sudden fright.

He felt relieved, realizing that he was sitting in the train car just as he had remembered before being confused by a waking nightmare.

The night where he had stood up for a helpless woman.

The threat of being sued.

The grip on his arms as he was pulled away into the police car.

Now, he found himself furrowing his eyebrows together on a subway ride all the way to Tokyo, away from his parents. They had given him such disappointed looks, unable to take his words seriously.

Of course, they loved him. And of course, he loved them as well. But he couldn’t find it in himself to forgive them just yet when they mercilessly agreed to send him off towards a stranger’s house all the way in Yongen-Jaya.

Akira closed his eyes: why did nobody believe him?

The P.A. system came to life, announcing its arrival to the train station that would lead him to his new ‘home’, to his new life.

He had kept his eyes glued to his phone as he exited the subway car. Akira stepped outside the underground station, immediately taken aback by the sheer amount of people travelling. Truly, if he was in a happier mood, he’d allow himself to admire the bright, colorful scenery.

Alas, he was bitterness, and bitterness was he. A notification popped up on his phone, the icon being an unfamiliar red and black eye.

“Hm?” Akira muttered, tapping at the notification to send it away. He still needed to use his map to get the address that was sent to him.

But then something unnatural happened.

It was odd, seeing everything around him slow down to a stand-still. People suddenly stopped walking. The noise began to fade into silence. Even the winds halted.

The strangest thing of all was the mysterious blue flame that began to emerge, taking on a humanoid shape whose wings suddenly burst forth with such force. His eyes remained unblinking when he suddenly saw a familiar face take form amidst the fire.

It was his own, save for the missing glasses and the eerie yellow eyes.

Abruptly, he was thrust back into reality. He looked around him, catching the curious eyes of passersby as he realized that he was standing still at the heart of a busy walkway. Akira peered down on his phone, the same icon still smack dab in the middle of the screen. Wordlessly, he dragged it down to the deletion can and attributed the odd occurrence to his drowsiness.

After one more train ride, he found himself in a quiet area. The streets grew smaller, with tiny shops littering the sides. There were fewer people for sure but still more than he was accustomed to.

 _Starting today, Sojiro Sakura is going to be taking care of me_ , Akira thought to himself. He was mindful not to stand too long in the middle of the street. _His house should be in the backstreet of the residential area_.

He kept walking, making eye-contact with an unfriendly looking police officer. Memories of his previous encounter made him break it, hurriedly ducking his head down as he continued to trudge through. He passed by a supermarket, a doctor’s clinic, and finally, he saw something that made him stop.

It was a Shiba Inu, wagging its tail once it met his curious eyes. He didn’t mean to, but he overheard a conversation between its young owner and her mother.

“Was there another, um, a-ack-si-dent? I see a policeman over there.”

“Oh he’s just watching to make sure everyone is safe,” the gentle-looking mother reassured her daughter. “It’d be scary if something like that happened again, though. Let’s hurry home.”

The mother then looked up to regard Akira in a suspicious fashion. He hurriedly bowed his head, walking down the alleyway to assuage her worries. Luckily for him, the nameplate of the house at the very end was exactly what he was looking for.

Unluckily for him, the door gate was locked and no one answered despite his finger on the doorbell. Which god did he anger to be brought so much misfortune?

“Damn it,” Akira cursed under his breath. He looked up to see a deliveryman with a package in his arm, mumbling to himself. Akira did what he did best, which apparently was eavesdropping at this point.

“Sojiro Sakura usually is at his café around this time. Well, Leblanc’s in the back alley so I should make my other deliveries first.”

 _Thanks, random delivery guy_ , Akira thought to himself, stuffing his hands into his pockets before hurrying to the café. Once more, he rushed past the numerous shops, this time noting the convenience store, the second-hand shop, a public bath, and a laundromat. He gazed up at the coffee-curry shop named Leblanc. _Right next to a bar. Classy._

He opened the door and was greeted by the scent of coffee unsurprisingly. The place was small, dimly lit, but still cozy in an odd fashion. An older man was sitting by the bar, playing crossword. On the other hand, an elderly couple was seated in the booth. Everyone seemed distracted enough not to notice his arrival.

 _Alright, Akira, you have a 50/50 chance of guessing whether Sojiro Sakura is the man at the bar, or the man in the booth,_ he thought to himself. _You’ll only look like half an ass if you incorrectly guess the old guy is Sakura_.

While he was preoccupied by his thoughts, the tabloid show host on the TV continued speaking. “A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it! The citizens can’t live in peace if this keeps up.”

“Oh, how frightening,” the elderly gentleman commented. His wife nodded her head in agreement.

“What could be going on? Didn’t something similar happen just another day?”

Akira blinked in surprise. Okay, maybe he was still pretty lucky considering he didn’t encounter any traffic accidents during his travel to Tokyo.

The man by the bar mumbled, “Vertical is…the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls.” With a weary sigh, he looked up to see Akira standing by the entrance. “Oh…right.”

The middle-aged man leaned back to deposit the paper and pencil on the bar table. Akira let out a mental sigh of relief now that he didn’t have to go through the awkwardness of playing the ‘Who’s Sojira Sakura’ game with the people inside the café. “They did say that was today.”

Akira nodded his head. The elderly couple rose from their seats. “We’ll be going now. The payment’s on the table.”

The manager turned to them with a forced smile. “Thanks for coming.”

“This place is in the back alley so there’s no worries of a car crashing in here,” the older man quipped. The manager tilted his head.

“The what now?”

“There’s been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that none happen around here.”

“Well, that’s none of my concern,” the manager, who Akira thought was Sojiro Sakura, sighed.

The elderly gentleman chuckled softly. “Haha, we’ll see you next time.” He and his wife shuffled past Akira, giving the teenager a kind smile before leaving. The bell chimed upon their exit.

The man left behind let out an audible groan once they were gone. “…Four hours for just a single cup of joe.” He looked up to regard Akira with doubtful eyes. “So, you’re Akira?”

Akira cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable under Sojiro’s accusatory stare. “Please take care of me.”

“…Uh-huh,” Sojiro grumbled. “I’m Sojiro Sakura. You’ll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you’re the one, huh?”

Akira pushed his fake glasses up his nose. He made the right fashion choice to incorporate them in his minimalistic outfit. Nothing about his appearance seemed to scream ‘hey I have an assault case on my record haha’!

Sojiro ran a hand through his balding head. “Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and—” Sojiro stopped himself, briefly considering something before changing the subject all-together. “Well, not that that matters. Follow me.”

While Leblanc was virtually spotless, the room that Sojiro led him to nearly made Akira gag, and it took a lot for him to drop his poker face. Everything was covered with dirt and dust. Actually, he couldn’t even tell apart what was clean or what was dirty. Everything just seemed…dirty. And cluttered.

“This,” Sojiro began, making a small circle with his hand, “is your room.” Akira inaudibly let out a small wail of despair. Sojiro eyed him with a hint of amusement. “I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed. You look like you wanna say something.”

Despite his desire to get on his guardian’s good side, Akira couldn’t help but complain, “It’s cluttered.”

Sojiro rubbed the back of his head nonchalantly. “It’s on you to clean up the rest. I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day. You’ll be alone at night, but don’t do anything stupid. I’ll throw you out if you cause any trouble.”

 _Love the trust between us_ , Akira thought to himself, giving a small nod of affirmation.

“Now then… I got the gist of your situation,” Sojiro began. Akira felt himself stiffen up involuntarily but kept a straight face on.

“You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you. That’s what you get for sticking your nose into a matter between two adults,” Sojiro harshly reprimanded. Akira flinched at his tone. “…And now that you’ve got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here and your parents agreed.”

 _Oh god, he’s even including my parents in this,_ Akira thought despairingly. Having his actions narrated back to him was painful enough. _Fucking brutal_.  

“In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass,” Sojiro added smugly. He suddenly had a serious look on his face. “Look, it’s best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I’m in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted.”

“Probation…?” Akira murmured. He knew that his parents had agreed to send him away, but he heard nothing about being on probation. Even a hundred miles away, his actions on that one night continued to haunt him.

“Really now… It’s the word that applies to you,” Sojiro said exasperatedly. He began to elaborate once he caught the confused look on his new resident. “Your sentence lasts until next spring, right? That’s why you’re gonna be here for the coming year. Cause any problems and you’ll be sent straight to juvie.”

 _But I’m too pretty for juvie,_ Akira winced. With a self-deprecating laugh, he shook his head. _This really is my last chance_.

“We’ll be going to Shujin tomorrow.”

Akira nervously played with his bangs. “Shujin?”

“Shujin Academy—the school you’ll be attending,” Sojiro said with closed eyes. He suddenly looked much more tired. “We’ll introduce ourselves to the staff there. There’s rarely a place that’ll accept someone like you, you know. What a waste of my Sunday.”

Akira suddenly felt both apologetic and smug with the last comment. _Karma’s a bitch, Sojiro_.

Sojiro gestured to the box behind him. “Your luggage arrived earlier. I left it there.”

And with his speech said, he left the messy attic to attend to the shop down below. Akira took a moment for everything to sink in.

Moving. Probation. Shujin.

 _I’ll be living here starting today…_ Akira thought, surveying the room around him. Honestly speaking, it was much bigger than his room back at home. _I should check out what’s in here_.

He approached the box in the middle. Going through the contents, it was filled with all his necessities. And one such necessity was a change of clothes that he gladly switched into. Losing his uniform, he immediately put on a white shirt and a pair of jeans. After a small debate, he included a trendy black cardigan as well.

Closing the box and shoving it inside one of the shelves, he looked around the room. _I should start cleaning. Even if my record isn’t exactly spotless, I might as well make my room be_.

He whipped out a feather duster and began with the windows. Next up was the mop and pail by the side. The floors looked less gray and more brown when he was done, revealing that there was wood underneath all the grime. His bed was the following target. Some linens lay in a basket by it. Thankfully, it wasn’t infested with bed bugs so all Akira had to do was change some sheets around. The light outside began to fade, so he closed the blinds and opened the lights.

 _It’s late… Seems I’ve been cleaning for some time_ , Akira thought, looking around the room once more. Though he didn’t get to do everything today, at least the room looked a hundred times better than when he had first arrived. _Guess my reward from Sojiro for cleaning his attic is that I don’t get to breathe in dust anymore_.

Speaking of Sojiro, the older man came upstairs. His eyebrows shot up. “What the heck? I heard all sorts of noise up here but I didn’t think you were cleaning.” He looked around, impressed. “Actually, this place doesn’t look too bad. Though it’s only natural you would want to clean this place up. Why don’t you go to bed for tonight? You don’t have anything better to be doing, right?”

Before Akira could retort, it dawned to him that Sojiro’s words were painfully true.

“I’m going to close up shop,” Sojiro announced. “I won’t be the one looking after you if you get sick from staying up too late, you got that?”

Akira watched him depart, listening to the noises downstairs from his bed eventually settle to silence. The loneliness began to hit him once he changed to a simple black shirt with green sweatpants, laying on an unfamiliar bedding, staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. “Starting today, this is my room, huh?”

Unwanted thoughts began to fill the empty spaces of mind brought about by boredom. Memories of the confrontation. The woman’s frantic screams. The man’s drunken, insistent voice. And his own sense of justice, an uncontrollable urge to save her from the other’s groping hands.

He hadn’t meant to hurt the man; the only thing on his mind was to save her.

 _And yet_ , Akira thought to himself, his fists balled up in anger, _not even my own parents believed me_.

A ringing sound distracted him from his thoughts. He pulled his phone up, recognizing the unfamiliar icon. _Hm, it’s that weird app that somehow ended up on my phone… The icon looks almost like an eye._

“Thought I deleted it,” Akira mumbled to himself, once again dragging the app to its deletion. “I’ve dealt with enough spooky shit today, like that spider the size of my hand hanging up at the corner.”

He hadn’t realized he had fallen asleep until he found himself in a different unfamiliar room.

Akira looked around him, surrounded by blue walls and an eerie purple light showed his position on yet another unfamiliar bed. He crinkled his nose in disgust when he saw the toilet across it. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think he was in prison.

The sound of chains from his movement led him to become aware of the cuffs on his arms.

Oh good, even in Akira's dreams he was in prison.

He put a hand on his head, wondering what kind of nightmare he’d have today. A giggle startled him out of his thoughts, his eyes moving towards the jail door (which had chains surrounding it; it hardly made any sense).

On the other side was a young girl with blonde hair in two buns, wearing an eyepatch and a blue-black outfit that reminded him of a prison guard. Her yellow eye, the same shade that he himself had when he had the daydream earlier today, looked at him as if he were some sort insect.

He got up to approach her and ask her where the hell he was. He was oddly cognizant in this dream of his. It was then that he noticed another girl beside the first one, her hair done in a braid and her eyepatch covering her left eye instead of the right. Other than that, they looked the same.

His footsteps were unbearably heavy, and Akira questioned why exactly there was a ball of steel that he was dragging around attached to the cuff around his left ankle. What an odd dream this was. Eventually, his arms reached the bars of the jail door, supporting his body with it as he squinted to see a man just past the two seated on a desk.

 _That is the longest nose I’ve ever seen on another person_ ,” Akira thought to himself. Never mind the fact that he was in a jail cell. How could he have dreamt of another man with a nose as long as the one before him? _You’re weird, Akira._

The man met his eyes, and Akira audibly gasped at his harrowing appearance. Beady eyes, pointed ears, a hunchback. He looked like something straight out of one of the scary children’s books he read years prior.

The old man extended a gloved hand forward.

“Trickster, welcome to my Velvet Room.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, I really did plan to update next Monday. But then, I finished chapter 9, and I was two months ahead of schedule so I figured 'why not?' and...yeah. Welp. 
> 
> The story doesn't really start to diverge until Morgana confronts Akira and Ryuji, so there's that. djosfiewrwrkwdfejustaheadsup I WANNA MAKE IT INTERESTING BUT IT ISN'T THAT INTERESTING UNTIL THEN (iswearthisficisn'tap5rehashTTTT)
> 
> also kill me i tried making a pun with "a fool's start" because in my head it's similar to "a false start" but i doubt many people will get it unless they read this far into the notes aH


	3. Chapter 2: Unwelcomed Company

_**April 10, 2017** _  
_**Cloudy** _  
_**Morning** _  
_**Leblanc Attic** _

 

Akira woke up with a massive headache. The dream last night, which was eerily realistic, had him questioning his sanity even more. Something about important matters related to his life. And what did the man say about ‘rehabilitation’?

_I had a strange dream_ , Akira thought, sitting back down on his bed once he changed into Shujin’s school uniform. If there was one thing that he liked about his new school, it was that they chose some very trendy clothes. Still, he couldn’t get words of the long-nosed man out of his head. _Ruin… Rehabilitation… What does it mean…?_

He heard Sojiro’s voice from downstairs, “Looks like you’re up.” Before he realized it, the older man was already in front of him. He had cleaned up today, ditching the usual apron and putting on a white suit with a white hat. At least the retro-style was making a comeback, so his choice of clothing didn’t look too dated. “Well then, let’s go introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer.”

Akira fiddled with his hands. It wasn’t that he was unpopular at his last school, but nobody in their right minds would call Akira a ‘friendly person’. In fact, if he were to describe himself, the words would lean towards quiet, sarcastic asshole. Not exactly the type of person to be going around making friends.

“The school you’re attending is in the Aoyama district. It’ll cost you a bit to ride the train there, and the route transfers are a pain,” Sojiro warned. Akira realized he had to remember the names of the lines he would have to take. He was screwed. “I’ll drive you there, but just for today. Let’s go.”

Before he could even thank the older man, the latter was already turning around to leave the attic. He heard him mumble, “Sheesh… Men aren’t usually allowed in my passenger seat.”

Akira grinned to himself as he pushed his body off the bed. _He’s just one big softie_.

The trip there wasn’t too bad. Since it was a Sunday morning, there were hardly any cars on the road, and parking was easily found. It was a good thing too, because Sojiro looked anxious to hurry back to his café as soon as possible.

Akira stared up at the school building. It was nestled between some other tall towers, and it certainly looked more refined than his old school back at home. The building was gray, modern and quite large from the looks of it. The greenery surrounding it was well-kept and added some much-needed color to the dullness of the city-scape.

Before they walked up the paved steps, Sojiro stopped him. He had taken off his hat.

“Do me a favor and behave yourself, all right?” Sojiro reminded. Akira kept his hands in his pockets as he stared at the man. “Don’t get me wrong—I don’t care what happens to you. Just don’t cause me any trouble.”

_Wouldn’t even dream about it_ , Akira thought to himself, following the grumbling man through the school. There were far more hallways and classrooms than Akira expected. So, this is what a Tokyo preparatory school’s level was. He could hardly keep track of where he should be going.

They arrived inside the principal’s office, littered with the achievements that the school had achieved. Honestly, it sickened Akira. Why had they accepted him, a person with a criminal record?

The woman by the principal’s side wore a yellow sweatshirt and a denim skirt, keeping her head down as Sojiro and the principal talked. The head of his school lacked any sign of hair, and Akira couldn’t even see his neck.

_Must be living nicely off his paycheck_ , Akira thought, eying the trophies and plaques inside the cabinet. Most of it was for volleyball. _Physical activity? Gross._

The principal suddenly turned to Akira, expressing a look of anger at the teenager’s lax pose. “To reiterate, just so we’re clear, you will immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. Honestly, I hesitated on accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side…”

_I can really feel the welcoming vibe from this school already._

“You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind,” the principal warned.

Akira bit his lip.

He hated being judged like this. Before the incident, he considered himself to be a pretty normal guy. It just so happened that he had a strong sense of right and wrong and a lack of self-control from acting upon his judgment.

The principal gestured over to the woman who had remained silent during their exchange. “This is the teacher in charge of your class.”

Akira offered her a small smile to test the waters, but she returned his offer of peace with a gloomy look. He really, _really_ wasn’t wanted here. “I’m Sadayo Kawakami. Here’s your student ID.”

_That’s the last time I try to act friendly to someone_ , Akira thought, recalling the amount of backlash he received from Sojiro the day before. She passed the item to him over the principal’s desk, avoiding touch. _It’s not like assault is passed over by germs_.

“Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office,” Kawakami robotically recited. Akira crinkled his nose in disgust at the thought of reading the thick manual as Sojiro watched him from the corner of his eyes. “And, if by chance you cause any problems, I won’t be able to protect you at all.”

She turned to her superior. “…That IS your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?”

Kobayakawa hummed a noise of affirmation. “He is responsible for all his actions.”

“But really though, why me…? There should’ve been better candidates,” Kawakami whined. Akira stood in the middle, feeling awkward.

_They’re acting like I’m not even in the room to openly complain about me_ , Akira thought. He sent a helpless look towards Sojiro who merely shrugged his shoulders, one hand in his hip.

Surprisingly, Sojiro answered his mental pleas of escape. “If you’re done explaining things, mind if we get going? I got a store to get back to.”

“Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him. Don’t let him cause any trouble outside,” Principal Kobayakawa reminded. Akira narrowed his eyes at the presumptuous tone. Sojiro put a hand behind his head, caught in a messy situation.

“Well, I’ll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he’s in,” was all the other could say in response.

_But, we already had this talk last night._

Kawakami let out a sigh. “Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll show you to your classroom.” Akira could only nod, feeling relieved once they were gone from the oppressive room.

Once they stepped outside the room, Sojiro gave him a sympathetic look.

“They’re treating you like some kinda nuisance…” he said. Akira couldn’t meet his eyes. That was the first time in his life that he had experienced that sort of discrimination from complete strangers. It was a feeling, he supposed, that he had to get used to.

“I guess that’s what it means to have a criminal record. Turns out your past follows you wherever you go.”

Akira felt a sense of gratitude well up in his chest before having it crushed by Sojiro’s next few words. “By the way, if you get expelled now, I won’t hesitate to kick you out. Got it?”

_Thought I was breaking the wall around him…_

The boy promised, “I’ll be careful.”

“Hmph…” Sojiro grumbled in response. Still, he looked surprised at Akira’s sincere answer. Shaking his head, he let out one more sigh. “School never changes, huh…?”

Akira could only begin to wonder what the man meant by those words, because Sojiro quickly ended their conversation. “Come on, we’re going home.”

* * *

_**April 10, 2017** _  
_**Cloudy** _  
_**Morning** _  
_**Kirijo Headquarters** _

 

Mitsuru Kirijo was a busy woman. On top of inheriting the company, she had to root out the corruption within it and the looming threat of shadows that lay underneath it all.

“At least I have something to do every day, isn’t that right?” she murmured to herself.

Memories of her promise to her fellow SEES members flashed in her head.

Suddenly, her secretary walked into the room. Mitsuru half-expected another mountain of paperwork to be dropped off on her desk, but to her surprise, it was a silver-haired man instead. “Akihiko, what brings your sudden visit?”

“Figured you’d spend your Sunday working,” her companion remarked coolly, sending her a knowing grin. Mitsuru could only shake her head, dismissing her secretary from her office. “How about taking a break? I came all the way here, after all.”

“Your visits are always welcome,” Mitsuru kindly said. However, she sent him a harsh glare. “When I’m not working, of course.”

“Diligent to a fault as always, aren’t ya Mitsuru?” Akihiko mused. Despite her icy behavior, he sat in one of the sofas inside her office, making himself comfortable. “So, what’s up? Something looks like it’s been bothering you.”

“…Kikuno said something to you, didn’t she?”

Akihiko cracked his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. “That might have been a factor.”

Mitsuru sighed. Between her and Akihiko, secrets were rarely kept hidden. “It’s Naoto Shirogane. There’s something she needs information on, things that involve the government this time.”

“Huh? Haven’t heard that name in years,” Akihiko mused. He straightened his back. “What’s on your mind right now?”

Mitsuru bit her lip, eyes trained onto the piece of paper before her. Except the words were going right over her head. “The Kirijo group doesn’t exactly have a clean past. Ever since our split from the Nanjo group, there have been dealings that my grandfather made to ensure the growth and stability of the company.”

“…To fund his shadow research, right?” Akihiko finished. Mitsuru quietly nodded her head, feelings of guilt welling up inside her. Though she had no hand in the dubious dealings, the fact that it was her family that caused numerous tragedies to others was unmistakable. “I thought you buried all that when you took over.”

Mitsuru remained quiet for a moment. “Though I’ve taken the position as head of the Kirijo group to right the wrongs of the past, it’s doesn’t change the fact that the company has done many injustices.”

“You know, you can’t keep beating yourself up over your past,” Akihiko reminded her. He gave her a gentle smile that eased up her concerns a bit. “I’m living proof of that.”

“You’re right, Akihiko. Thank you,” Mitsuru quietly said. She gripped the pen on her hand, a pained look on her face. “I’m afraid of what I’ll find out. To what extent did my grandfather go to to achieve his dreams? What kind of burdens did my father inherit?”

“Asking all those unanswered questions are unhealthy for you, Mitsuru,” Akihiko reprimanded. Mitsuru gave him a bitter look. “Well, look, you aren’t able to change the things your grandpa did, but you sure as hell can fix the things he left behind now.”

Mitsuru mused over the boxer’s straightforward answer. His ability to press forward despite his baggage always managed to astound her. “I see. Your input has been proven to be insightful as always, Akihiko.” Akihiko grinned at her before turning to lie on his back. “Akihiko?”

“Sorry, give me a moment to rest. Didn’t think that the distance between Brazil and Japan was that much,” Akihiko quietly grumbled. Mitsuru raised an eyebrow. Perhaps the journey could be considered ‘training’ by the man as well. “When are you getting off work, Mitsuru?”

“Hm? It will take some time. Perhaps even late into the evening,” Mitsuru answered. “You’re free to explore Tatsumi. I’m sure Ken and Koromaru are still at dorm. Even Aigis has more time to accompany you than myself at this moment.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’ll wait,” Akihiko mumbled. He lifted his face to catch her curious gaze. It threw her off-guard. “It’s been a while since we met up, so I might as well spend as much time with you, yeah?”

Mitsuru could only nervously nod her head.

Since she became the head, there had been some pressure for her to settle down and get married to some business partners to strengthen the Kirijo name, but she evaded the pestering by immersing herself in her work. Akihiko was one of the few people she regularly interacted with. And yet, she had wondered, why was it that they continued to be together after all these years?

“Hey, Mitsuru, you better hurry your work. You’re gonna end up missing dinner at your pace, y’know,” Akihiko reminded her.

She pursed her lips together, sighing in defeat. These thoughts were unwelcomed now, especially since Akihiko probably had a tournament coming up. He’d be leaving soon, just like always.

Secrets between the two were hardly kept hidden, but there were many unspoken feelings.

* * *

_**April 10, 2017** _  
_**Cloudy** _  
_**Evening** _  
_**Kasumigaseki** _

__

Naoto breathed through her nose harshly, the sound startling Sae from her laptop. They were in the SIU department, taking over a rather spacious spot with a clear table and seated in steel chairs. The furniture was new and state-of-the-art. She wondered just where exactly the department had to the funds, but it would be a nightmare to keep track of.

“Is there something bothering you?” Sae asked hesitantly. By no means was she close to the blue-haired detective, but they had been working within near proximity for the past three hours or so without break. It would be no surprise if Naoto had reached her wit’s end.

Naoto simply shook her head. “There’s something odd about the most recent string of mental shutdowns, wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Niijima?”

Sae slowly nodded her head. “Yes, I thought of that myself.”

“For an unknown condition, it’s struck quite consistently these past few weeks,” Naoto observed. She tapped on the fat file by her side, scribbling down some important details on her notebook. “All the victims are linked to transportation incidents. Subways, trains—It’s almost as if it’s deliberately exposing the lack of action that the Ministry of Transportation has taken these recent years.”

Sae quietly absorbed the detective’s observation, both impressed and intimidated. How had the woman gathered all that within the few days she had been on the case? “That’s quite a claim you’ve made, Ms. Shirogane. It’s as if you’re implying that the culprit is trying to expose the wrongdoings of an entire government branch.”

“Expose?” Naoto mused. She narrowed her eyes. “Or scapegoat? There are multiple angles to tackle this, but there’s hardly any evidence to back up any hypothesis.”

Sae had to agree. “It would be bad to falsely accuse some government officials given their—ah, ‘ties’ to force.”

Naoto leaned back in her chair. Dealing with higher-ups, tip-toeing on eggshells to not offend those in power, had always been difficult for her. She much preferred to engage her suspects head-on and with bluntness. “I commend you for having dealt with them all these years.”

Sae allowed herself to give the other woman a small smile. “Thank you.”

“Sae-san!” a voice called out from behind. The two women turned to see a brown-hair teen approach, a controlled smile on his face as he made his way over, briefcase tapping against his leg. “Oh, and you’re with your lovely lady friend today as well.”

“Akechi,” Sae acknowledged. She gestured a hand towards Naoto. “This is the new addition to my team, Naoto Shirogane. She transferred over from the municipal division of Inaba.”

Akechi’s eyes immediately perked up upon hearing her name. “Ah, the original detective prince! It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Goro Akechi, and though it makes me embarrassed to say, I’m the one they hail as your successor.”

Naoto sized him up quickly with a glance before relaxing. Just a few years before she had been in his position, eager to take on any case thrown her way. “I hope you don’t tarnish my name with your work, Akechi-kun.”

“Oh, no, certainly not!” Goro gasped. “I already have multiple successful cases under my belt, and my input has been instrumental to the mental shutdown cases.” He sent a look that resembled a kicked puppy towards the silver-haired women. “Right, Sae-san?”

Sae frowned at his childish antics. Sometimes she forgot that Goro was only seventeen and a child at that, given his usual composure. “Shouldn’t you be at school right now? Your attendance is bad enough as is.”

“Aha… Nothing escapes you, Sae-san,” Goro laughed nervously. He scratched the back of his neck uncertainly. “I was called in for an important meeting today, so I should get going. It was lovely meeting you today, Shirogane-san.”

“Likewise,” Naoto coolly answered. She watched him disappear into the halls, a jubilant step to his walk. “I can see why you think we’re quite different.”

“Akechi’s a bit excitable, but that’s expected for kids his age,” Sae murmured, crossing her arms. She leaned back and closed her eyes for a bit, tired from staring at the computer screen for too long. “He does fine work though. It’s unfortunate that he often gets pulled aside to be treated like some teen heartthrob.”

Naoto chuckled at the woman’s words. “It’s amazing he has a fanbase with hair like his.”

A crooked smile appeared on Sae’s face. “I’ve been telling him to cut it, but he’s oddly stubborn about keeping that look.”

* * *

_**April 10, 2017** _   
_**Cloudy** _   
_**Evening** _   
_**Leblanc Attic** _

 

Akira Kurusu stared hard at the black notebook on his table. Sojiro had already left the store, sullen over the wasted Sunday. However, he left him a present of sorts, with a command to fill it in with his activities. The problem, however, was that Akira had no clue as to what would be considered substantial enough to record.

_I’ve done nothing except get yelled at by adults_ , Akira thought to himself, arms crossed and eyes furrowed. Maybe he could keep it short. Would the jury really read through every entry of his? _This is the worst welcome gift I’ve ever received_.

A ring downstairs ripped him from his troubles. He made his way to the yellow payphone on the counter. Curiously, he picked it up. The static-filled voice on the other line was unfamiliar to him.

“Who is this?”

“Sheesh, you forget my voice already? It’s Sakura,” Sojiro chastised. Akira shrugged his shoulders, a gesture he knew Sojiro could not see and therefore berate him for it. “Uhhh… I closed up shop, but I forgot to flip the sign to ‘CLOSED’. It’s too much of a hassle for me to go so you flip the sign for me.”

Akira mentally groaned at the demand. The old man was getting forgetful, and he bet that this wouldn’t be the last trivial task his benefactor would ask of him. However, something did bother him about this request. More importantly, it was how the request reached him. “You called the public phone?”   

“Sorry. I make it a habit not to save guys’ numbers on my cell phone.” _This goddamn, smooth_ — “Anyways, I’m glad you answered the phone over in the shop. Okay then. I’m leaving you in charge of the door sign.”

Sojiro hung up, and Akira tentatively put the phone down. Stepping outside with his hands in his pockets, the cool night air sent a shiver down his spine. Unlike his hometown, the light pollution covered the starry night. Lazy, large dark clouds instead filled up the sky. Akira took in the smell of cigarettes and liquor, listening to some drunks on the other side of the concrete wall. The flickering dim streetlights continued to set the mood of the depressing city.

He hated it all.

From the circumstances to the people, Akira had a growing dislike for everything. Who was he kidding with his false sense of hope that things would get better moving away? Just what were his parents trying to fix by sending him to a big city to live with a stranger?

_“They kicked you out for being a pain in the ass.”_ Sojiro’s words echoed through his mind. Shaking his head, he flipped the sign and headed back inside. His ears had been turning a soft shade of red from the cold.

He headed up stairs and practically flopped onto his bed. Akira pulled out the phone from his pocket, checking over the map. _I need to take the train tomorrow. Yongen-Jaya…Aoyama-Itchome… Transfer… Looks like I need to head out to Shibuya and then transfer there._

He frowned at the notifications littering his newsfeed. _More news about the subway incident… It sounds like a lot of people were hurt. I bet this’ll affect the timetables for tomorrow too…_

Something else caught his eye as he killed the news app. The mysterious red eye icon pulsed eerily on his screen.

_That strange app I saw last night is back... It keeps showing up… Well, third time’s the charm, right? Time to delete it again._ Akira pursed his lips together. _I_ — _I should probably reboot my phone, just in case…_

His eyelids started to grow heavier. Instead of hoping that tomorrow would be a better day, he settled on hoping that things couldn’t get any worse.

Unfortunately for him, maybe Akira really did anger a god, because the next day was far worse than he could ever imagine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Detective prince 1 meets detective prince 2~  
> I always found it funny how their personalities are so different from one another. Also, yes, the mom and dad of SEES finally make their appearance. I'm finding it hard to write scenes that include the P3 cast because they've basically moved on with their lives now, but that's okay. I'll make it work...somehow.
> 
> I tried to portray Akira as pretty angsty over his situation because in-game he's strangely accepting of the shit he's put up against. It'll be integral when push-comes-to-shove over the morality of changing Kamoshida's heart. 
> 
> Also, I'm still debating about Aegis' role in the story because although she's a wildcard, her situation is entirely reliant on Minato's journey (then again I'm still debating whether to add P3P's female heroine as well). But also because I haven't played Answer myself so I'll be spending quite a bit of time watching videos (⋟﹏⋞)
> 
> Now the meaning of the title: Akira is unwelcomed at Shujin, Akihiko is unwelcomed at Mitsuru's office, and Akechi's entire existence is unwelcomed (just kidding pancake boy).


End file.
